The Only Mystery Worth Solving
by DramaGeek
Summary: The Doctor's oldest secret has placed him in mortal danger. Clara is determined to save him, but doesn't know how. Perhaps the answer can be found by unraveling her own mystery. My take on how series 7 might end.
1. Chapter 1: What's In a Name?

Chapter 1: What's In a Name?

A/N I've been desperately trying to figure out the mystery of Clara and some of my musings turned themselves into a story of sorts. I've tried to incorporate as many of the clues and hints from this season as I can, while still making it remotely sensible. Enjoy.

"So that's just it, you're giving yourself to then?"

Clara knew the Doctor had heard her, but he made no reply, simply continued to punch buttons and fiddle with knobs.

"Doctor?"

"You heard what they said." He met her eyes as he said this and then quickly turned back to the console.

"So that's it then, you for the world?"

"Seems like a fair trade to me."

"There must be a another way." He shrugged. She hated it when he moped. "You're just giving up?"

"What else is there to do?"

"This is a time machine, isn't it? Couldn't we just go back a few billion years and prevent the Whisper Men from ever evolving in the first place?" He tried to give her a stern look, but she could see the ghost of smile at the side of his lips. "Or you could just give them what they want. Just tell them your name."

In an instant the smile was gone. "Can't do that."

"Why not? What's in a name?"

"Power. There's always power in names."

The pain in his face broke her heart and reminded her of everything he was about to face. "They will expect an answer."

"Well they're not getting one."

"They'll kill you for it if they have to."

"Not to worry," the Doctor said, turning back to the console, "I'll think of something."

"I'm coming with you."

At this his head shot up, "No. You're staying here."

"Ah, no I'm not."

"Wait, that's not what you say. You listen. You're one of the few that do."

"Not this time. Not if it means you have to face this alone."

He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and then looked up at her, at the determined, dogged look on her face. "I need you here. Someone has to make sure that they don't get the TARDIS."

"Because it's the most powerful ship in the universe and you don't want it falling into the wrong hands?"

"Yes," he said with a slight glimmer in his eye, "and because it's made of wood." She smiled at the memory, but her smile fell as his face grew serious. "And because it knows my name."

"Then send it away without us. Doctor, I'm not leaving you to face this on your own."

"You have to. I can't let you die. Not for me. Not again." He looked away, momentarily lost of the past, and when he came back to himself a moment later, he realized she'd taken his hand. "You know," he said, looking into those big, brown eyes of hers, "A millennium of traveling, you know what I regret? Never solving the mystery of Clara Oswald."

"Well we've got a time machine, we could solve that and a hundred other mysteries and still meet the Whisper Men in time for tea," but as she watched him return to the task at hand she knew she would have to try something else, "What were they like? The other me's?" The Doctor had mentioned the other incarnations of Clara to her before, but had been less than forth coming with the details, especially since this most recent threat of global destruction.

"Well Oswin, she was-"

"Oswin?"

"The you from the future, the one I ran into in the Dalek's asylum. Oswin Oswald, junior entertainment manager, starship Alaska."

"Oswin's the user name I made up to hack into the Shard. What was the Victorian one's name?"

"Clara Oswin Oswald. It was um... written on her tombstone..."

"Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

"Strange? Of course it's strange. Meeting you all over time and space. It should be impossible."

"Well yeah, but the same name and everything? Or mostly the same name in any case. What else was different? Or were we the same people... the same person?"

Taking the bait the Doctor turned his attention to his young companion, "Well Oswin was a computer genius-"

"I'm a computer genius."

"Yeah but you weren't always. You're probably the only twenty first century person who could 'lose' the internet."

"But I found it again, with a little help. What about Victorian me? Any noticeable differences?" A far away look passed over the Doctor's face. "Doctor?"

"Yeah?"

"You're blushing."

"I... I mean... shut up," he said, as he involuntarily fixed his bow tie. "She... well they both... trusted me. Wholly and completely. Right from the start."

"I trust you."

"But you didn't. Not completely. Not at first."

"I trust you now."

He smiled at her. The saddest smile she had ever seen. In the same moment the TARDIS hit solid ground with a thud. "Then trust me now. Take the TARDIS away from here. Get both of you somewhere safe." His old eyes pleaded with her to comply. How could she refuse what might be his last request?

"What do I have to do?"

"It's all worked out. Just wait until I'm out the door, then press this button."

"Big friendly button."

"Yes, exactly."

"Doctor-" but before she could launch into another objection he pulled her into a hug. He held her to him as close as he dared. She pressed her face into his chest. He turned to go, but she pulled him back, and standing on her toe, pressed her lips against his. Even though her other incarnation had already done this, the Doctor was not at all prepared for the kiss. He stood there a moment shell shocked, his hands and arms flailing, not sure where they were allowed to go. But his time with Clara was short. He had lost enough people by this point to finally understand what that expression meant. So he gave in. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. When at last they came up for air they stayed close for a moment, eyes closed, heads resting together. "Doctor."

"Yes."

"I'll stay on the TARDIS."

"Thank you," he said as he kissed her forehead.

"But just so you know, I'm coming back to save you."

He was smiling again. A real, genuine smile. "Wonderful, impossible Clara Oswald. The only mystery worth solving. You'd find a way, too." He took both her hands in his, kissed them, and then placed her hands on the large flashing button. "The moment I'm gone. You can't let anyone through that door. Promise me that."

She nodded. The Doctor straightened his bow tie and left without another word. As the wooden door closed behind him, she shut her eyes, and pressed down.

Next time: The TARDIS, RYCBAR, and an old friend. Don't miss it.


	2. Chapter 2: Run You Clever Boy

Chapter 2: Run You Clever Boy...

A/N: I'm trying very hard to get this done before Saturday. The promo makes me think that I'm completely off the mark, but oh well. That's half the fun.

Although the change was subtle, Clara instantly knew she had left solid ground behind and was now traveling through the time vortex. She lifted her hand off the button as the realization of what she had just done began to sink in. "No," she said, her voice almost cracking. "This is wrong. We have to go back." She flipped every switch, twisted every knob, even pressed the big friendly button again, but nothing she did seemed to alter their course. "Stop. You have to stop. We have to go back and save him. Come on you stupid ship, I know you can hear me. Say something."

"Voice interphase enabled," came the monotone drone of her own voice. She spun around and came face to face with herself. Once again the TARDIS had chosen to project the image of Clara.

"Take us back," Clara demanded.

"I cannot."

"Sure you can. Just turn us around and go back the way we came."

"I am programed not to return."

"Who cares? You're the ship, you can do whatever you want."

"I am programed not to return."

"The Doctor needs our help. He's all alone and he could die and I know you care about him. I know you want to save him, too. Please. Help me save him."

"I am programed not to return."

Clara threw up her hands in frustration. She stared at the voice visual interface incredulously. It was erie how much like and yet unlike Clara she was. The same face, same voice, but with a blank, closed off expression. It reminded Clara of all those other versions of her the Doctor had met. Were they as different from Clara as this projection?

"You said you have several billion images to choose from. Can you look like Oswin Oswald?" The TARDIS immediately complied, but the change was a very slight one. Clair's face remained exactly as it was, but her jumper and skirt were replaced with a red dress and high top sneakers.

"Now that's just creepy," she said as she walked up to the voice interface. Mere inches away from the projection Clara's eyes mapped the feature in front of her. "She really is the spitting image..." In that moment Clara's eyes went wide. She had an idea. "Show me her left elbow." The voice interface raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Humor me." The projection obeyed, albeit begrudgingly. "Ah ha!" Clara exclaimed, twisting the projections arm over. "Do you see that scar? I got that scar falling out of a tree when I was six," and as if to further illustrate her point she held out her own arm to compare. The scars were identical. "Let me see her right hand." The TARDIS complied without complaint. Clara reached out for the hand and traced a one inch scar along the palm with her finger. "I got this from a bread knife a month ago when you turn all the lights off in the kitchen."

"That was a malfunction," the TARDIS objected, but Clara wasn't listening, she was lost to her own thought, desperately trying to piece it all together.

"Show me the other one. The Victorian Clara." This projection was even more familiar. It only took Clara a moment to realize the kids had shown her a picture of this woman, mistaking her for their nanny. An understandable error, for this woman was as much like Clara as Oswin had been. Without needing to be asked, the TARDIS held out both arms. Identical scars awaited Clara. "So they're me. I mean it's not just that they look like me. They're really me. Me me. But how? And why?" Although she had been talking to herself she directed her next question to the voice interface, "How did the Doctor meet them?"

"Accident."

"And they didn't know him? Didn't know about me or that we travel together?"

"No."

"They helped him though, didn't they?"

"Yes. And then they died."

"Well we'll just aim for the former, then." She let out a frustrated sigh, "The answer's here, I know it. What am I missing?" Clara began walking around the console room impatiently. It was infuriating to be this close and still not have an answer. Especially when there was so much at stake.

"Run you clever boy and remember."

Clara was so lost to her own musings that the sound of the voice interface caught her quite off guard. "What did you say?"

"Run. You. Clever. Boy. And. Remember. That's what they said to the Doctor."

"Both of them?"

"Yes. Just before they died. You've said it to him as well."

"I have? Right I have. That's my... my WiFi password. But what does it mean? Is it a message for the Doctor? Or some kind of warning?"

"Unknown."

Clara repeated the phrase back to herself over and over. Once, twice, three times, and then it hit her, "Unless it's not a message for the Doctor. Maybe it's a message for me. TARDIS, RYCBAR123." A nerve seemed to twitch in the voice interface's cheek. "You know what that is, don't you? You recognize it. Don't try to deny it, it's written all over your-well my-face. What is it? A code? Or coordinates? A location or a particular time?"

"All of the above, actually." Clara spun around in the direction of the voice. "My, you are clever, aren't you?" Standing just inside the door was a familiar looking woman with curly blond hair.

"How did you... wait, I know you. You're the woman from the computer shop. You gave me..."

"The number for the TARDIS? Yes that was me. I also helped the Maitland family choose a router. I may have given them a password suggestion or two."

Clara was stunned. She stood there gaping at the woman, trying to work out exactly what was going on. "But why?"

"I needed a ride."

"A ride? From us? Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Professor River Song and I'm here to help you save the Doctor."

At that Clara's whole face lit up. "Thank the stars. He's being held by the Whisper Men on some secret moon base. Not Earth's moon mind you. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure where it is... or when..."

"But the TARDIS has been there before."

"Yes, but she refuses to go back."

"I very much doubt it's her who's refusing." River turned to the voice visual interface, "What's he done to you this time?"

"I am programed not to return."

"And I take it he's overrode your controls to do this."

"Yes."

"Do you want me to take control so we can return and save him?"

Clara gaped at the change in the projection. A large grin spread over its face, "Yes."

"Excellent. TARDIS, dear, I'll take it from here." River walked over to the console. Took a moment to look at its new set up and then immediately went to work.

Clara stared at her in wonderment. "You can fly the TARDIS?"

"Oh yes, but I might need your help. For now can you hold down that lever?"

Clara did as she was told, but continued to stare at River, "Are you a Timelord? Timelady?"

River laughed, "I'm human. Mostly. To be honest it's a bit complicated."

"You must know the Doctor very well if you can fly this thing."

"I should. He is my husband." River said it matter-of-factly, but knew by the look on Clara's face that this was not a simple fact to the young companion. "He's never mentioned me."

"Not so much. I'm sure he was getting around to it."

"Wouldn't surprise me. That man acts like he has all the time in the world." River returned to the task at hand. She seemed a little annoyed, but not particularly surprised.

Clara watched River carefully, marveling at the way she worked. She knew the controls as well as the Doctor. Maybe better, for there was a fluidity and efficiency of motion that the Doctor seemed to lack. At first Clara thought she was imagining it, but the TARDIS seemed to be helping. Screens would adjust themselves to give River the best view, knobs would flips and panels were rearranged to provide River with better access. It was almost as if... "She likes you. The TARDIS actually likes you."

"She should, she's sort of like my godmother."

"Lucky you. She hates me."

River stopped for a moment, but didn't look up at Clara, "She doesn't hate you. I think she would like to dislike you, but the truth is, she feels guilty."

"She's a space ship, what could she feel guilty about?"

"The TARDIS is space-time, she sees it all. Everything. What is, was, and will be. She feels guilty because she wants to save the Doctor so badly that she doesn't stop me."

"Stop you?" Clara asked, innocently.

"Stop me from doing this," just as she said it, River opened the panel directly in front of Clara. As golden energy spiraled out of the control panel like vines, Clara looked directly into the soul of the TARDIS.

Next time: Bad Wolf 2.0, the Doctor's Name, and a new mystery. One more chapter to go.


	3. Chapter 3: The Doctor's Greatest Secret

A/N I wanted to make sure I had this out before Saturday. I hope you enjoy the final installment. Please R & R.

Perhaps, the Doctor mused, it was because the Whisper Men lacked eyes that the moon base-like all other structures built by the them-was as stark and unimaginative as any place the Doctor had ever seen (and given his extensive traveling, that was saying something). The walls, floors, and ceilings were all a light grey and the rooms were rather small, with the exception of one. The room the Doctor was in was almost cavernous: large ceilings and a wide open space containing nothing except two small terminals and a black, metal structure, almost spider-like in its appearance. It was in this particular apparatus that the Doctor was held.

"Captivity does not suit you, Doctor" the commander said, almost pleasantly, "It is a simple enough question. What is your name?"

"You still haven't told me yours." The Doctor said hoarsely.

"My name is of no consequence. Can you say the same?"

The Doctor looked exhausted. His breathing was ragged and the rapid beating of his hearts practically rang out in the open room. "If I tell you my name you'll let me go?"

"Of course."

"And Earth. It will be spared."

"Our quarrel is not with you Doctor. It will be under our protection."

"Very well, my name is Stormaggedon, Dark Lord of All." Electricity shot through the Doctor, momentarily stopping both hearts and singeing the tips of his fringe.

"Your resistance in this matter is foolish. We shouldn't be enemies. Need I remind you that we started by offering an alliance?"

"Which I politely declined. Or didn't you get that message? Was my RSVP lost in the mail? I do love carrier pigeons but they can be rubbish at intergalactic routes."

"Regrettably, the task we face is too dire to accepted your refusal. Doctor, the Silence has infected our world the way it once infected Earth. They are a constant and malicious threat and we have been tasked with their defeat. The only thing we know that they fear is your name. There must be great power in it if the Silence cannot bear to have it heard."

"There's always power in names."

"If you share this power with us, we can defeat them for good. Rid the universe of the Silence once and for all."

"I've actually gone down this path, and belief me, genocide really isn't as great as it seems."

"No more stalling, Doctor. What is your name?"

The unnamed commander's question was interrupted by the all too familiar sound of the TARDIS landing. The commander looked up in surprised and completely missed the look of fear and dread that passed over the Doctor's face. By the time his interrogator had turned back to him, the Doctor wore an amused expression. "Looks like you're out of time. Here comes my reinforcements." The Whisper Man scoffed, but there was a slight apprehension has he turned back to the little blue box. The room was silent for the length of a breath and then Clara emerged, head and eyes cast low.

The commander nearly laughed, "This is your reinforcement? An unarmed girl?"

As if on cue River burst through the doors, guns raised, "Well I'm hardly a girl, and I'm most certainly armed." She took a quick glance around at the dozens of Whisper Men lining the room.

The Doctor knew she could take out ten, maybe fifteen before they stopped her, but there was no way she'd get all 34 of them. It was a lost cause, but that had never stopped her before. "River, get Clara out of here now."

"No!" Clara's voice rang through the empty room and reverberated off of the walls. She looked up to meet his eyes and the Doctor's hearts sank. Her eyes were golden orbs. And the glow was beginning to radiate throughout her body, giving her a saintlike aura. Despite the ridiculously fast speed that the Doctor's brain works at, his focus on Clara meant that it took him a moment to notice the silence in the room. And another moment to realize what that meant: River hadn't opened fire. This kind of distraction would have been the perfect opportunity and yet he heard nothing. The Doctor turned back to River only to find her frozen in place, pistols drawn, and a disrupter blast suspended a foot in front of them.

The commander was looking at River as well, when he looked back at Clara there was an uncertainty in his voice bordering on fear, "What are you?"

"I'm his." Clara said, with an almost elevated tone. So unlike her usual chipper demeanor it broke the Doctor's heart.

"Very well then." The commander pulled out a disrupter and aimed it directly at Clara's head. "Answer our question, Doctor, or I kill this strange girl."

"I'd like to see you try," the Doctor said without mirth.

Thinking better of it, the commander shifted slightly until he had the gun pressed against the Doctor's temple. He looked back at Clara, "You travel with him, don't you? You of all people must know."

"You're wasting your time. She doesn't know a thing."

"Of course I do."

"Clara," his eyes were pleading with her. Begging her not to say another word. Begging her to get back on the TARDIS, to find somewhere safe. Although he knew that that option was no longer available. There was no safe for her anymore. Not unless he could save her.

"You want to know the Doctor's name?"

"Yes."

A long string of Gallifreyan syllables flowed melodically from Clara's mouth. Their affect was immediate. Every person and thing in the room started to become translucent. As if they were slowly fading out of existence. "What are you doing?" The commander asked, frantically. "Stop this. Stop this now."

Clara opened her mouth again and seemed to sing the words back to herself. Upon completion, the room and all its occupants regained their corporeal forms.

"What did you do?"

"Names have power. The Doctor sealed the Time War with his name. That seal is broken with the utterance of it. If the Time War continues the universe is forfeit. You and everyone-everything- eases to exist. That is the Doctor's greatest secret. You now know why it can never be answered, but that is not enough. Others will come, others will try, and I want him safe. My Doctor. I could kill you for what you've done to him. Break you into atoms or erase you from time. That would be River's way. But it's not the Doctor's. So instead, you and all of your people will forget. You'll forget the Doctor, and the question, and the power you witnessed here today. You will leave this place and never return, and not a single Whisper Man will ever come near him again."

As if a lever had been switched, all of the Whisper Men, including the commander, abandoned their tasks and filed out of the room. Within moments the sound of a vessel could be heard retreating from the base. "Alright Clara, you did as you said, you came back to save me. Now just get me out of here and we'll go."

"No. There's still something left for me to do."

"You've done enough. You've looked into the time vortex. You've got all that energy flowing through your head and it's going to kill you. Please Clara, let me out so I can take it from you."

"Your life for mine?"

"Seems like a fair trade."

"Not this time, Doctor. All of time and space running through my head. All that is, was, and could be. I knew how this would end the moment I looked into the TARDIS. But don't despair. We will meet again. I spread myself through space and time. A message to lead me here. And people to help you along your way. People to keep you safe. My Doctor. You need to leave this place." She closed her eyes, but by this point the energy had built up so much her skin was shining. Suddenly her eyelids shot open, revealing her beautiful, brown irises. "Run you clever boy and remember." She looked away, seeming to almost take a moment to prepare. "One, two, three." Clara erupted into golden energy, which moved in chaotic spirals, plunging back into the depths of the TARDIS.

River rushed to his side and made short work of his entrapment. The Doctor simply stared in horror at the spot Clara used to occupy. Suddenly he whirled around and grabbed RIver by the shoulders. "Why did you let her look into the TARDIS? Why didn't you stop her?"

"It's worse than that, I'm afraid." The Doctor looked at her and understood. He released her and simply sank to the floor, the top half of his body propped up by the metal apparatus. River sat down beside him. They were silent for a very long time.

"How did you..." but the Doctor figured it out before he even finished his question. "You gave Clara the number for the TARDIS. If you hadn't she never would have met me? She never would have been here? Why did you do it?"

"I had to save you."

"But why her?"

"She's brilliant. Funny. Brave. And of course, pretty. She's perfect for you."

The Doctor was beginning to get mad again, "But of all the people, why did you choose her?"

"I didn't."

"Then who did?" the Doctor snapped.

River smiled. It was a weak smile, but a smile none the less. "Spoilers, my love."

The Doctor's anger drained out of him. He turned back to the spot Clara had been standing. Silence enveloped them once again. When River finally broke it, her voice was little more than a whisper, "Will you ever forgive me?"

The Doctor didn't answer for a very long time, but finally he looked at her and took her hand. There was kindness in his eyes, even though the fury and hopelessness had not completely dissipated. "You know what they say, all things in time."

"I prefer what you say, Sweetie. Particularly that 'nothing is ever forgotten, not completely, and if something can be remembered, it can come back.'" She kissed him lightly on his cheek, punched a quick code into her wristband, and vanished, leaving the Doctor alone in the vast, empty room.

After what could have been hours, he picked himself off of the floor and walked into the TARDIS. How big and empty this box felt without Clara there. He ran his hand gingerly over the console. "Big day, huh? Out and about. I'd really prefer it if you didn't take the people I care about for joy rides." He thought of Clara. Of those final moments, when she had seemed like her again. And yet she was almost an echo. Those six words, throughout time and space. Filling the Doctor with guilt and- "I'm so thick!" He whirled around the room, grabs a console panel, and typed in 'RYCBAR123'. The TARDIS landed surprisingly silently and the Doctor raced towards the door. He had no idea what was waiting for him on the other side, but despite everything, he allowed himself to be optimistic as he opened the wooden door.

Clara stood just outside it, "Hello?"

"Hi..." he managed to splutter. He took a step out of the TARDIS and shut the door behind him.

"Who are you?" she asked, bemused.

"Me? I'm the Doctor." He managed to get out. Still too dazed to worry that she didn't remember him.

"Where's River Song?"

"River?"

"She just stepped into that box a second ago. Said she had to fetch me something. Are you the something?" The Doctor's cheeks burned. "You must be. You blushed. What is it, anyway? A snogging booth?"

"No! Well... uh... I mean... Shut up." Clara laughed, delighted at the affect she could have on this strange man. "So you... you don't know me?"

Clara took a step closer and cupped his face in her hands. She stared up at him with those big, brown eyes. "Nope. Although there is something almost familiar about this chin." She gave it a tug for good measure as she released him.

The Doctor, for his part, was beginning to settle down. Clara always had a calming affect on him, "What's your name?"

"Clara. Clara Oswin. What's yours?"

"I told you, I'm the Doctor."

"That's a title, not a name."

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose... well you know."

Clara stared at him. A curious look on her face. "So you're just a nameless man who spends his time in a blue box."

The Doctor smiled his goofy grin, "That's a surprisingly accurate description."

"Doesn't it get lonely?"

"Why would you say that?"

Clara kind of laugh at herself, "I don't know. You... you strike me as lonely. And I get this feeling, like you never stay still."

"I don't. But it's not a bad life. Better with two. Do you want to come?"

"Into your snog box? With you and River Song?"

The Doctor was too happy, nothing could embarrass him. "Oh I'd expect she's gone by now."

Clara raised an eyebrow, "How's that? There's only one door and we've been standing in front of it."

The Doctor grinned, "It's a mystery. But then again, so are the best things in life. Care to come solve some with me?" He held out his hand and Clara took it without hesitation.


End file.
